"Members of the Detection Club, the most prestigious group of crime writers in the world, celebrate the eightieth birthday of their former president--the original king of cozy crime, Simon Brett--with this stunning collection of all-new short stories. A long-married crime-writing couple plot murder most horrid, with a jaw-dropping twist . . . A group of school friends dig up a long-buried dark secret . . . A widower joins a local amdram society, with surprisingly dramatic results . . . A deranged fan stalks a celebrated TV personality . . . An online romance turns sour . . . and much, much more. From police procedurals to the sharpest satire, from historical mystery to dark and twisted chillers, these twenty-two original tales, written by some of Britain's most remarkable bestselling authors, are essential reading for crime and mystery fans."--

Crimes ancient and modern / L.C. Tyler -- Dead ground / Andrew Taylor -- Sleeping beauty / Ann Cleeves -- Just a minute / Peter Lovesey -- Lookalike / Kate Ellis -- Sanctuary / Martin Edwards -- Murder at Mousecomb / Alison Joseph -- Silver Fox / Michael Ridpath -- The woman in Whitechapel / Elly Griffiths -- Criss-cross / John Harvey -- Dead in Deptford / Catherine Aird -- The luncheon / Christopher Fowler -- An old-fashioned murder mystery / David Stuart Davies -- Bells and whistles / Lynne Truss -- After Henry? No commitments / Michael Jecks -- Character assassination / Liza Cody -- Blood on ice / Frances Brody -- Full circle / Abir Mukherjee -- Showtime / Michael Z. Lewin -- Publish and be damned / Ruth Dudley Edwards -- The Kintsugi vase / Aline Templeton -- Cast, in order of reappearance / Simon Brett -- The Detective Club: a personal memoir / Simon Brett